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"Character is what you are in the dark. When nobody is watching. When nobody knows what you do or even thinks. That's your truest colours right there"

- Unknown -

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For once in his life, Shu did the packing the quickest way possible. He had always been the one who packed away everything neatly. Valt had always been the last minute kind of guy and Shu wished Valt to be there with me. Through this painful turn of events, he could actually use a best friend. Shu slung one of the straps of the bag over his shoulder and sprinted down the corridor closing the door behind him with a swift sound. When he reached the main lobby down the building, he spotted Theodore and Lucas, standing by the door. Shu reached them quickly, glancing around to catch one of those weird figures of men, but out of relief he found out there was none. Theodore stared down at his watch when a car pulled into the driveway. "Let's go," he said, looking at Shu.

Shu nodded, following him when Lucas stopped him. Shu turned to see the melancholic hazel eyes of the male. He knelt in front of him, facing Shu with a grim expression. "Be careful" The elder muttered, pulling the albino into a tight hug. Shu melted inside his embrace, he didn't realize how much he needed that at the moment. He was scared, he did not want to put himself in a life and death situation, but he was not given a proper choice and he had to go along with the plan if he wanted to save their future, both his friends' and his. Lucas held him for a few seconds and let go, but Shu kept his grip tight on his shirt, looking into Lucas.

"You too" Shu muttered under his breath, letting go. These past few months in Raging Bulls, Lucas had been his only friend and almost a brother he always wanted but never had. Shu walked to the car stopped outside where Theodore waited by the open door. Shu looked over his shoulder one last time, stared at the huge building which he practiced for only a few months but still it felt more appealing than the place where he was about to go. Theodore opened the door of the vehicle for him. Shu got inside, the smell of perfume welcoming him. He ran a hand through the velvety seat of the car scratching one of the spots with his hand out of consciousness. The car roared into life after Theodore got in. Shu unconsciously brought his right hand into his mouth and bit into his nail, looking at the passing buildings. When he was young, he always had the habit of biting nails whenever he felt nervous. But the last few years, he tried and stopped it but at the moment his old habit came back to him and Shu did not care. It took them an hour to reach the airport and another half an hour to finish everything and get into the plane. For the first time in his life Shu realized that the plane was not a normal public one, but a private jet set up just to him and Theodore. He just blinked, realizing the wealth of this so-called man who leads the web of experiments.

Shu followed Theodore and at the entrance of the massive thing, they were welcomed by two more people who wore the same mask and an identical jumpsuit like the people whom he saw the other day. They both shook hands with Theodore and welcomed him in. They eyed Shu like a cattle just taken away to slaughter. Behind the shades of the mask, he could realize whether it was pity their eyes held, maybe it was satisfaction of having him as a subject. Shu cringed at his thoughts, realizing that for these men he was only a test subject. A valuable pawn to uncover the secrets to get stronger.

The plane ride was in mostly silence except for the soft murmurs of the three elders. Theodore kept talking to the other two about something and Shu didn't even try to eavesdrop, his mind was rather framed in the future. He curled into himself as a yawn broke through his features. He looked out at the glass to see the black sky, glittering with stars. His eyelids grew droopy. He forced his eyes open feeling the need to stay awake. But then again, the albino thought, closing his eyes, giving into the sleep. There was nothing he could do rather than wait and see what Snake pit has in store for him.

His sleep was filled with different kinds of nightmares. He kept twisting and turning, letting out whimpers trying to shut close his dreams when someone shook him by the shoulder. Shu whimpered silently, opening his sleepy eyelids to be met with the harsh sunlight pouring out of the window. The albino immediately closed his eyes back as a patch of crimson painted the view in front of his eyelids. "Kid, wake up. We're here" The voice said. Shu turned his head away from the glass and opened his eyes, blinking several times as the world around him slowly came to focus. He almost drew away from the man when he saw the mask but decided against it at the last moment. If he wanted to survive he had to show them that he won't be broken so easily like a porcelain doll. Shu stood up, nodding curtly as he walked out of the plane. The harsh sunlight kissed his skin as he stepped out. Shu squinted, shielding his eyes from the harsh sunlight waiting for his eyes to adjust to the light. Theodore was talking with a cab driver. The two masked guys were standing at each side of him listening to Theodore as he spoke. One of them turned and beckoned Shu to come closer and that's how he ended up inside the cab sitting in between two weirdos through their half an hour journey. They all got down in front of a small path which led them into a thick growth of trees. The cab driver looked uneasy about dropping them in the middle of nowhere, but Theodore reassured him. They all watched as the vehicle disappeared from the corner when finally the silence broke.

"I hate planes!" The guy who was wearing a black mask with hints of Cyan on the mask.

"You hate everything" The other said.

Theodore looked in between them and then turned his gaze to Shu. "Shu, this is Cyan Eye and Silver Eye."

Shu raised his brow, "Their real names?"

"Oi Kid" Cyan said, looking offended from his remark. "Which parent wants to name their kid Cyan Eye! Use your damn brain will ya?"

"Code names?" Shu tried.

Cyan nodded, holding up his chin in the air in an egoistic manner. Silver was already standing beside the beginning of the small path waiting for the three of them to reach him. The three males started walking to Silver as Cyan kept speaking. "I don't know why everyone was so impatient to see him? He does not strike me as someone special Cap"

Theodore smiled, a tight lipped smile which did not reach his eyes. "You'll see," He said.

"How old are you?" Silver asked, startling the albino who was dodging the various branches blocking the path. They were hiking up quite a rocky path and Silver had been quiet for the most part of his journey.

"Turning twelve this September" Shu answered.

Cyan stopped dead on his path, looking over his shoulder. "Man, you're literally a kid aren't you? Silver here is 21 and I'm 18"

Shu just nodded, unable to form a response to that. It's not like he had much to do with that simple information. The group fell into a silence again as they resumed their hike. They passed several miles and took two or three water breaks before they finally arrived at the place. Shu inspected the ruined temple standing in front of him, ivy vines running from the top to the bottom covering the yellowish stone walls. Nothing looked special about the enormous structure except for the historical look it carried. A Historian would find this place greatly entertaining, Shu thought, looking at Theodore as he pulled out what looked like a controller. He watched as the man snapped his fingers on the red button near the top of the controller. There was nothing for several seconds, and then his ears caught the sound of machines twisting, a distant reeling as the front wall of the ancient temple split opened. His crimson eyes widen in surprise that he actually jumped a step back to stare. The insides look murky and dark that Shu hesitated to step in, but the curiosity took the better part of him as he stepped in, looking around, awed by the new technology glistening inside. Theodore, Silver and Cyan walked in front of him as Shu followed them. His eyes darting from wall to wall, White light illuminated the dark hallway with a ghostly light as they passed by. Shu caught the glimpses of CCTV cameras all around the corners, almost as if an anonymous presence trailing his every step.

They passed two corridors before they finally entered a room. Silver and Cyan stood to the side letting Shu walk in before them. The albino heard the door closing shut behind him. He did not look back, he was stunned by the amount of screens inside the room. Each of them displaying different scenarios, both inside and outside. He looked back to see that Theodore had disappeared into thin air. Shu stilled, looking around. Suddenly cautious and alert. He was inside a room with two strange men, and Theodore was not anywhere to be seen. Seeing there is no other choice, he decided to wait. And after which it felt like hours, a man appeared from the tangle of the screens. He was wearing a jumpsuit mixed with the colour purple and was wearing an identical mask like the rest of them. His skin prickled as he watched in fear.

"I'm Theodore Glass'' He said. Shu instantly let out a relieved sigh. Silver and Cyan were watching from the doorway. "But here I'm called Asthem" He revealed. Shu waited, not saying anything as the ground in front of him parted. Shu watched, fascinated as a rectangular tomb appeared from the ground displaying a mask, lined with red and completed with crimson shades for the eyes. Shu stared at it as Asthem continued, "After you accept this, you are no longer Shu Kurenai. You have to sacrifice your old self and become a new person. From today on you'll be Red Eye."

Shu looked at the mask, glinting in red almost glowing in the darkness of the room. He reached one of his hands without an ounce of hesitation in his features. He had come this far, and there was no way he's going to turn back now. He put on the mask, his vision instantly turned into a murky shade of crimson. "You are not allowed to take that off in front of others, and your real name is also forbidden to use" Asthem said. He looked over to Silver and Cyan, finally issuing the command. "Take him to an empty dorm. I'll be there in two hours"

"Yes sir!" Both of them replied in sync. Cyan signaled Shu to follow him. He followed both of them, already hating the mask covering his face. Thankfully, no one else was there as they walked along the corridor to a set of doors. The corridor was dimly lit, just barely enough to see the grey walls standing on each side of them. Cyan stopped in front of a door and beckoned him in.

"Go and take a shower. Your new uniform is inside the closet. Cap will be here in two hours so get ready quick."

"Okay" Shu answered, walking in. He closed the door behind him and took off the suffocating mask. Tossing it to the single bed standing near the wall, he walked into the close to check out the uniform. There was nothing in the room except for a bed, a nightstand and a close completed with a mirror. Just to his left stood another ashen door which led him to a small bathroom. There were no windows, the only light was the dimly white light filtering from the bulb. He opened the closet doors which creaked at his attempt. His uniform was a black jumpsuit completed with a red coloured belt. A white sleeveless, high collared, coat hung beside the jumpsuit, the edges lined with a crimson stripe. A gauntlet rested on the top drawer which covered his whole right arm. Beside the closet Shu spotted two boots with two crimson lines on each. He closed the door of the closet and walked to the bathroom. Inside there was fresh towels and everything else he needed. Shu raised his brow, "Who are these people exactly?" He wondered, stripping. He stepped into the shower and relaxed. The exhaustion from the long journey slowly washed away.

After the refreshing shower, Shu stepped out of the bathroom and pulled out his ridiculously cool uniform. He stood in front of the mirror and looked at his reflection. He realized the code name was given according to the eye colour earlier, and now he realized that each uniform is designed according to the assigned colour. He looked at the mask lying on the bed, it's red shades glistening bright crimson. Shu opened his suitcase and pulled out his tab. He had turned off both his devices - phone and the tablet pc - before he reached Mexico. As Theodore said, talking with his friends only drive them into further danger. He spotted two cameras at each corner of the room. A shiver ran down his spine when he realized his each and every movement was being watched. He did not have any free choice from this certain moment, he was just a test subject, an experiment. He stood up and opened the last drawer of his closet and pushed in the two devices. He wouldn't be taking any use from me soon enough. Then the albino pulled out his clothes and placed them in the closet pushing the empty suitcase underneath his bed. When he just finished his task, the door opened behind him. Theodore stepped into the room with another masked man. Unlike the other two, he had gold accents on his jumpsuit, as Shu thought, which made his attire cooler. He swiftly glanced at the two cameras and then back at the man.

"They're turned off" He said, the voice was awfully familiar, Shu thought, looking at the man, trying to remember where he had seen him.

"Good," Theodore said, slipping off his mask revealing his kind teal gaze. He stared at Shu from top to the bottom. "That does look quite good on you"

Shu huffed, "I feel like a runaway villain in this uniform"

Theodore smiled, "How're you feeling?"

"Crazy enough"

Theodore just smiled. Frankly, he was happy to see Shu much more relaxed than he thought he would be. "This is Gold Eye, real name Norman Traver"

Norman took off his mask, his gold eyes glancing briefly at the door to see any sign of eavesdropping but when he found none, the man relaxed. "Nice to meet you," He said, extending his hand.

Shu nodded, inspecting his features. He was significantly pale, with green hair and dull gold eyes. The dark bags underneath his eyes proved his exhaustion. "He works for me. We're both UUC agents" Theodore explained.

"I thought there were three people"

"There are '' Theodore said, placing his mask on the nightstand. "The other is another junior member of the UUC. He doesn't know the truth about us, he's a separate member who runs his own mission. For private purposes we haven't revealed our identity."

Shu nodded as Theodore continued. "From now on, you and another pack of newbies, chosen from all around the world would be training with you. They are all subjects to the Requiem project but only one among you will get chosen to go through the experiment. This requires high mind control and many other qualities. Each snake pit had sent one person to this experiment chain and you are ours Shu"

Shu hummed. "Okay"

"The training would be done with a separate trainer who works for the Dark Web. He's one of the most loyal members for the original boss. So, be careful around him. And since you have no experience about fighting or martial arts, Norman will teach you fighting for two hours each night. It depends on your physical state"

"Got it"

Theodore turned to Norman and nodded. "Norman will now take you to your training room where the others are waiting. Good luck Shu."

"Many things to look forward to," Shu muttered sarcastically, following Norman out of the door. Theodore fished out his phone and typed a quick message for Lucas who spammed his chat asking about Shu.

I hope the kid will hold on. He's a tough one Lucas. Don't worry

Shu slipped his mask back to his face as the crimson shaded world came back to life around him. He walked closer to Norman and looked around. The structure of the snake pit could be compared to a complete maze. Even though Shu tried hard to keep the count, he lost the track of the corridors which circulated throughout like a snake. Every place looked the same. Coloured dark gray with long white tube light lighting the corridors. They meet no human soul until they approach a glass wall. Shu looked to his right to see a pack of boys training inside the room, all of them wearing identical clothes, ragged and torn in some places. Sweat ran down their faces as they struggled to keep up. He noticed two masked men standing to the side, whips in their hands. Shu shivered, as one of the masked men reached a boy who was on his knees, panting heavily. The kid was probably exhausted by the training, but the man beat him up demanding him to go to practice again. Shu turned his head away following Norman with quick steps. He didn't question, the image of the kid screaming his lungs out of pain still fresh inside his mind.

"They are different," Norman spoke, when they were out of earshot. "There are two kind of people inside Snakepit. The blessed and the cursed. The ones wearing masks are high ranked, fed well and given everything they needed and those kids are the ones who came to the snake pit with the illusion of getting stronger. They have nothing except for the bey in their hands. Simply, the dark web uses them to do many experiments that do not end up so beautifully."

"But they do experiments from us too" Shu muttered under his breath.

"You all are a special set. You all have sponsors spending money for you. You all are well known in the world, admired by many, strong and recognized by the Boss"

Shu let out a dry laugh. "How kind of him"

Norman's lips curled into a small smile before it settled back to the thin line again. He stopped in front of a two paneled black door which opened automatically. Shu stepped in behind Norman to see trainees, all staring at him through their masks. Each wore the same uniform, but different colours. All of their masks covered their faces and their expressions that Shu felt clueless about their emotions upon his arrival. None of the bladers were in groups, almost all of them were alone, standing on corners, some stretching while some just stared at him. Right. Shu thought bitterly. Those kids are all from the other snake pits. Trained for years, came for the craving power of the Requiem.

"Wear your mask" Norman said in a deep voice.

Shu almost jumped, looking around to see one person without a mask. His dark hair falling to his shoulder, their back facing them. "I don't need to," The guy answered, without even bothering to turn. From the looks of it, he seemed to be polishing his launcher. "I'm the trainer Gold Eye, besides I don't have anything to hide from them, not even my name"

Norman grumbled beside him and turned to look at Shu. The male gave him a curt nod and left the room. But Shu was blind to all of it, his eyes were focused on the voice, the familiar voice, the familiar shape. The guy turned, freezing Shu at the spot. "We were waiting for the last member to arrive. Asthem's masterpiece." He said walking to Shu and bending to meet him on his eye level.

"E-" Shu started, still not believing his eyes. The most loyal member of the Snake pit, the number one henchmen of the Dark Web Boss stood in front of him. The too familiar face.

"Ethan Carter is the name" He said, his voice dripping with venom. His eyes narrowed down at him. He licked his lips, staring at Shu as a hunter staring at it's prey. Shu remembered about the reserved attitude of the male, his late night travels. Even after knowing all this, he was still stunned to see someone like Ethan working for the Dark Web out of everything.